Increase Diversity, Equity, and Advancement in Cell Based Manufacturing Sciences (IDEA-CBMS)

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Grant Award Details

Grant Type:

COMPASS Training Grant

Grant Number:

EDUC5-13619

Investigator(s):

Name:

Dr. Michael Fino

Institution:

MiraCosta College

Type:

Award Value:

$2,878,000

Status:

Active

Progress Reports

Reporting Period:

Year 1

Located in North San Diego County, MiraCosta College provides both 2-year and 4-year degree programs in Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing. The college provides academic and workforce training, serving a diverse student population. The MiraCosta College COMPASS program supported 11 undergraduate trainees in its first year. The students were enrolled in the upper division bachelor’s program courses, with an emphasis on biomanufacturing, advanced cell therapies, business, quality operations, as well as bioethics. During the first year of our program, CIRM COMPASS trainees took core courses to continue a strong foundation in biotechnology and biomanufacturing. Implemented during the summer and fall 2023 semesters, CIRM COMPASS trainees had joined a regenerative medicine focused laboratories in partnership with our affiliated sector employers. All CIRM trainees conducted research and workforce training on regenerative medicine projects. This effective training has led to key project milestones, as well as project acceptance for the 2023 Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research. Mentoring and professional development are an integral part of the CIRM COMPAASS program. CIRM students attended regular professional development events with sector trade organizations, participated in industry specific trainings and certifications, as well as regular meetings with CIRM staff and faculty to discuss important next steps for advanced academic training, as well as career placement. CIRM COMPASS trainees gained further insight into the importance of regenerative medicine by interacting with guest speakers and advisory board members including members of various patient advocate groups. Trainees also volunteered for community outreach events, including high school student interactions during campus visit days. The CIRM COMPASS grant team met regularly with the students and site mentors to provide continuity of programming, ensuring students thrived during their internships. The CIRM COMPASS program is providing key contributions to the development of a talented and diverse pool of trained professionals, that represent the depth and diversity of California, and advance CIRM’s mission to develop cell therapies that meet our state and national medical needs.

Reporting Period:

Year 2

Our CIRM COMPASS grant team has worked diligently to create a novel process to recruit new applicants from the Biotechnology-Biomanufacturing department, with a specific focus on outreach to prospective trainees from MiraCosta College’s underrepresented communities. The COMPASS grant team developed a sector-specific, internal workforce application portal that encompassed all the project-based learning opportunities available for students with both industry and academic partners in biotechnology and regenerative medicine. The primary goal of the application process was to develop a bespoke work plan for each individual student, addressing both short-term and long-term goals for sector training, competencies, employment, as well as future graduate school aspirations. The application process identifies specific details for each student to better understand their situation and provide optimal accessibility for each student candidate. Along with traditional academic goals and faculty recommendations, the application process also gives students an opportunity to identify extrinsic barriers that may potentially challenge the successful completion of the program. This includes strategic commuting locations, access to reliable transportation, scheduling strategies for full time or part time positions, ancillary employment resources for DACA, Dreamer, and international students, as well as retention or transition strategies for additional paid employment. These preliminary details are identified in the application, further characterized during the interview process, and continuously modified based on the students needs during the semester and beyond. The overall mission of the MiraCosta COMPASS recruiting process is to offer tailored, wrap around support for each student based on their current and future education and workforce needs. The student body at MiraCosta represents the depth and diversity of California, and currently the program has successfully engaged and onboarded students from diverse, distressed, and underrepresented backgrounds. The COMPASS grant team works closely with multiple district stakeholders including department faculty, career services, counseling, and student support staff to continuously advocate for the CIRM COMPASS program. These advocacy efforts include regular classroom updates in each biotechnology-biomanufacturing course, as well as direct individual referrals from faculty, counselors, program coordinators, as well as student colleagues. The stakeholders involved in the referral process work closely with students and have regular meetings with individuals to go over all encompassing components to further guarantee student success and learning outcomes. These check in meetings include academic progress, current and future career opportunities, as well as individual personal challenges that affect or will potentially affect the career development trajectory for each student.

Grant Application Details

Application Title:

Increase Diversity, Equity, and Advancement in Cell Based Manufacturing Sciences (IDEA-CBMS)

Public Abstract:

Our College’s Department of Biotechnology will expand its training initiatives in regenerative medicine with the goal to develop a diverse pool of undergraduates that will successfully transition into biomedical careers in regenerative medicine.

This novel training program will offer funded support for historically under-represented students and include advanced project-based laboratory training as well as a focused mentorship program to provide tailored career and academic guidance to explore future sector opportunities in industry and academia.

Integrated with the Biomanufacturing Bachelor’s training, this two-year funded training program will service three cohorts of student scholars, carefully emphasize the importance of the workforce skills needed to be successful in regenerative medicine, mentorships that navigate students successfully into advanced careers and future graduate education, as well as directly advocate for the expansion of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Life Sciences.

Grant candidates will be selected through an application and interview process with both academic departments as well as with our host internship laboratory partners. Students will have options to complete year-round or summer research internship experiences at our partnering host training sites. During this time, the students will maintain full-time enrollment in the bachelor’s program and participate in regular professional mentoring sessions, patient advocacy events, and community outreach days to further ensure a broad and insightful perspective that encompasses translational science and the working at the patient interface.

This CIRM COMPASS program at our college will identify talented student candidates from diverse backgrounds for supported training and professional development. The program will provide, (1) Focused concurrent coursework in advanced cell and gene therapies, regenerative medicine, and commercial biotechnology, all leading towards the completion of the Biomanufacturing Bachelor’s program at our college. (2) Research training options for both year-round internships as well as intensive summer research internships in either private sector or academic laboratories focusing on regenerative medicine. (3) Specific guidance for both academic pathways and professional development. (4) Research presentations at multiple sector conferences. (5) Patient advocacy and community outreach activities for regenerative medicine initiatives. (6) Facilitate a pathway for aspiring student scientists to transition into regenerative medicine careers through intern support programs, and professional development and advisory sessions.

Through our diverse student program population, committed sector employer network, and regional location will be strongly contributing high impact and high value initiatives that will successfully create a new and innovative talent pipeline for California’s regenerative medicine workforce.

Statement of Benefit to California:

The scientific initiatives for advancing stem cell and regenerative medicine towards new therapeutics to treat human disease are being led by the state of California. These therapies are critical to society and the initiatives are driving future innovations in Biomedical sciences. As we move forward, there’s an unequivocal need for a robust talent development pipeline to train our future professionals that represent California’s diverse population in regenerative medicine. We designed our program to answer this call to action and provide opportunities for our diverse college students to receive focused training and education, accelerating their efforts into the advanced skilled technical workforce. Our program also encompasses the skills and training needed as a regenerative medicine research professional, that is mindful and comprehends the importance of translational medicine and how their scientific efforts will result in patient therapies. These efforts also include community outreach and patient advocacy to disseminate the importance and benefits of these research initiatives. Our community college population represents the diversity of California and further ensures equitable recruitment. Our focused laboratory partners in academia and industry are committed to delivering innovative and comprehensive internship experiences for our undergraduates through part-time, year-round, or summer intensive, full time work-based learning in regenerative medicine. Our student scholars will work on multiple applications in regenerative medicine and cell therapies to treat complex human diseases such as multiple cancers, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, as well as various autoimmune and neurological diseases. The program is designed for students to concurrently work in scientific laboratories while finishing their undergraduate credentials in Biomanufacturing with no schedule disruption. Our students participate in a focused mentor fellowship and work in collaboration with global patient advocacy partners on multiple events to support donor drives and other gift of life activities. These programs and initiatives all contribute to our students moving forward in California’s workforce and completing their 4-year Bachelor’s degree education. Our program will train and support at least 25 individuals that represent the diverse population of California and will continue to represent the evolving population of our scientific workforce. Our strategic initiatives for this program are aligned with California’s workforce initiatives, supplying a skilled technical workforce to combat the significant labor market gaps in our Life Science sector workforce. Our students have broad and diverse perspectives and understand the importance of regenerative medicine, the community impact of new cell therapeutics, and how their knowledge and efforts will advance regenerative medicine in California.

Increase Diversity, Equity, and Advancement in Cell Based Manufacturing Sciences (IDEA-CBMS)

Grant Award Details

Progress Reports

Grant Application Details

Increase Diversity, Equity, and Advancement in Cell Based Manufacturing Sciences (IDEA-CBMS)

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